Info-Atari16 Digest Fri, 31 Jan 92 Volume 92 : Issue 57 Today's Topics: Ack! My STe is dying! (dead?) (2 msgs) Anti-flamewar proposal. Calamus file format wanted Crack Art! current TOS-version Darn brevity FTP for PD software How to hook a Microsoft bus mouse to the ST (2 msgs) MEGA 4 and software MEGAFILE noise New Supra Modem... Selling (older) Atari's Spectre GCR and Beaker ST msyncs: Sony 1302, Princeton Ultra 14 Querys why not TOS in ROM ZOO V2.1 is bugfree, GCC library isn't! Welcome to the Info-Atari16 Digest. The configuration for the automatic cross-posting to/from Usenet is getting closer, but still getting thrashed out. Please send notifications about broken digests or bogus messages to Info-Atari16-Request@NAUCSE.CSE.NAU.EDU. Please send requests for un/subscription and other administrivia to Info-Atari16-Request, *NOT* Info-Atari16. Requests that go to the list instead of the moderators are likely to be lost or ignored. If you want to unsubscribe, and you're receiving the digest indirectly from someplace (usually a BITNET host) that redistributes it, please contact the redistributor, not us. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: 30 Jan 92 13:12:59 GMT From: mcsun!uknet!newcastle.ac.uk!catless!ndch@uunet.uu.net (Dave Halliday) Subject: Ack! My STe is dying! (dead?) To: Info-Atari16@naucse.cse.nau.edu In article <27947@sdcc12.ucsd.edu>, atilghma@sdcc13.ucsd.edu (Adam Tilghman) writes: |> |> Ack! I'm having serious problems with my STe system. If anybody |> could offer some wisdom, I would appreciate it! |> |> Symptoms: |> |> (The first problem I caught) - MINT.CNF suddenly appeared |> with random data scattered throughout the "normal" text. |> |> The Desktop is now mistaking executables for Text files, |> and is asking me if I want to view them. This |> is happening perhaps 10% of the time, and I have |> NEVER had this problem (in 6 months of intense use). This tends to happen if you use an old desktop.inf file try deleeting the existing desktop.inf file and make a new one from scratch. As for the others I don't know? Dave ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Dave Address: Computing Dept. Newcastle University, NE1 7RU. UK. Halliday EMail : D.C.Halliday@newcastle.ac.uk Phone : +44 91 222 8214 Fax : +44 91 222 8232 ------------------------------ Date: 31 Jan 92 01:40:14 GMT From: noao!ncar!elroy.jpl.nasa.gov!usc!wupost!spool.mu.edu!umn.edu!doug.cae.wisc.edu! carter@arizona.edu (Carter Gregory) Subject: Ack! My STe is dying! (dead?) To: Info-Atari16@naucse.cse.nau.edu In article <27947@sdcc12.ucsd.edu> atilghma@sdcc13.ucsd.edu (Adam Tilghman) writes: > >Ack! I'm having serious problems with my STe system. If anybody >could offer some wisdom, I would appreciate it! > >Symptoms: > > (The first problem I caught) - MINT.CNF suddenly appeared > with random data scattered throughout the "normal" text. > > The Desktop is now mistaking executables for Text files, > and is asking me if I want to view them. This > is happening perhaps 10% of the time, and I have > NEVER had this problem (in 6 months of intense use). > > MiNT 0.92 is hanging much more often than usual - basically, > anything involving a large file operation, like > running GCC. > > On most large hard drive read operations my screen is > overwritten with data :-( > > Odd crashes every so often (usually non-repeatable). > > On reset, the screen doesn't clear - so if I reboot from > the desktop, my hard drive boot is overlaid on the > old Desktop image. > > >My Hardware: > > Atari 520STe (w/ TOS 1.62, bought in August 1991) - 4MB of RAM > ICD Host Adapter (original model) + Seagate ST1096N drive > DEKA PC Keyboard Adapter (w/ keyboard) > SM124 Mono Monitor > > Does anybody recognize these problems? I think they're serious >and there's NO WAY that Atari's going to take back my computer under >warranty :-(... Eek! > > -- adam >-- >==== Adam G. Tilghman - atilghma@sdcc13.ucsd.edu - (619)558-2141 ==== >== "Martha, fetch my rifle - thar's another UCSD ECE undergrad!" == Try opening your STE up and reseating the chips in it. Check your local line to make sure your getting consistent 120v 60Hz Some of them are recognizeable, some aren't. If transport your STE OR frequently tunr it on and off, chip seating is a problem. -Good luck -Greg ------------------------------ Date: 29 Jan 92 17:20:26 GMT From: noao!ncar!elroy.jpl.nasa.gov!swrinde!cs.utexas.edu!qt.cs.utexas.edu!yale.edu!ir a.uka.de!news.belwue.de!rusmv1!delos!tyrell.tynet.sub.org!marsu.tynet.sub.org!w enzel@arizona.edu (Markus Wenzel) Subject: Anti-flamewar proposal. To: Info-Atari16@naucse.cse.nau.edu In <1992Jan25.215455.14648@ux1.cso.uiuc.edu>, William Magro writes: > I) GEM/Desktop has a lot of problems > C) I can't arrange my desktop in any efficient way. Not being able to > put programs on the desktop Get your new TOS 2.06! > D) There is no effective and consistent multitasking environment. This > is the 90's. A lot of people ask what the big deal is about multi- > tasking. There isn't one until you use it for a week or so and then > try to go back. I don't know how many Atari owners use their computers > for real work. My work is scientific computing and I need to log into > the big computers and do runs, then grab the data and graph it > immediately, then update my TeX document with the results. I cannot > do this right now with my ST (I don't have multigem yet). Atari > really _needs_ multitasking. That's true. But I think Atari hesitated with MultiTOS mutually, due to compatibility problems. Most of the software currently available are programmed so dirty or individually that they cannot run within a multitasking environment. Try MultiGEM to check out which applications can deal with multitasking and which cannot. -> If Atari comes out with MultiTOS, they have to force all developers to rewrite their software - more or less entirely. > E) Do we really need to reboot to change resolutions? Come on Atari, > you can do better than this. On the TT, switching resolutions doesn't perform a reboot. > II) Hardware bitches > A) Why is TOS in ROM? What a stupid idea. Sure I can turn my computer > [ ... ] If I think of all my DOS using friends that call me up late at night and beg me to repair their f**king system, because one driver killed another, the setting has disappeared, the mouse has gone, the screen is black, and so on, and so forth... What I want to mention is: You can't kill your OS if it is in ROMs. This is a very important thing for inexperienced users. The ST is also bought by young children with parents without computer knowledge, and it could cause much trouble if an OS is as easy to shoot up as e.g. DOS (or even Unix :-) . > B) Our graphics modes suck. 640x400 mono is great for work. But everyone > else has at least 640x400 256 colors available now. The new TT > resolutions should be in _all_ of the machines by now. Come on Atari! Being a TT owner I have no more complaints. > D) The power supply/keyboard/mouse all suck. The keyboard is mushy, but > reliable. The power supply is too weak (mine has burned out twice in > three years). The mice don't feel very nice and are prone to quickly > wearing out. (Again Mega/TT seem to deal with this.) The TT keyboard is quite fine, and I really like it. > E) Non standard connectors. ACSI, monitor and drive ports, a male rs232 > port?!?!?! Come on! If you are going to introduce new connectors, at > least give them advantages over the standard connectors. No more wishes about connections on the TT. > Let's let each owner cut their own machine down. I only wish my TT to 1. have 256 colours in 640x480 resolution, 2. run Spectre without nasty bugs, 3. get MultiTOS, 4. get a CHEAP Unix, BSD or Mach Kernel. The main problem about the TT is its unreasonable price. I can get a fast 386DX clone with large hard disk and the new BSD 4.3 for less money than Ataris System V disk. That's not fair. I never wanted a BIM-compatible. > Then we might actually learn something from these discussions. Hope so, too. -- * /dev/ Markus Wenzel, University of Stuttgart * * /usr/spool/mail/ wenzel@marsu.tynet.sub.org / @rus.uni-stuttgart.de * * /bin/ps -l TT admin on rusmv1.rus.uni-stuttgart.de * * /irc/nick Marsu * * /etc/motd >> Luck is believing you're lucky. << * ------------------------------ Date: 30 Jan 92 18:34:39 GMT From: noao!ncar!elroy.jpl.nasa.gov!sdd.hp.com!cs.utexas.edu!qt.cs.utexas.edu!yale.edu !jvnc.net!darwin.sura.net!Sirius.dfn.de!mailgzrz!opal.cs.tu-berlin.de!cosic@ari zona.edu (Domagoj Cosic) Subject: Calamus file format wanted To: Info-Atari16@naucse.cse.nau.edu Can somebody help me with CTX and CVG file formats? I intend to generate files in those formats within my own programs. Therefore I'd apprechiate it if somebody could provide me with any information. Domagoj Cosic ------------------------------ Date: 31 Jan 92 01:42:19 GMT From: noao!asuvax!ukma!wupost!usc!apple!equinox!pyramid.cs.unr.edu!chan@arizona.edu Subject: Crack Art! To: Info-Atari16@naucse.cse.nau.edu I have ftp'ed Crack Art (crackart.lzh) from atari.archive.umich.edu. Before I start, let me tell you that the program itself is English (with a little German splashed here and there). The document to Crack Art is in German. I would (will eventually try) like to get in touch with the authors of Crack Art about an English version of the text (or find someone to translate the document) or if someone out there knows of an English version. Anyway, here's a small description about Crack Art (and if you don't read German): Atari ST/TT compatibility. Can load/save .CAx (Crack Art), .PIx, .PCx, .SPU, .SPC, .NEO, .IFF, .ART, etc. 50/60hz changer. 9 screen capability. Animation.Special effects (color-wise... AWESOME (a lot of fun), dithering...). All the drawing tools. Block tools (many...!). Since I don't read German, I've had to explore a lot. Use both right and left mouse buttons for different things... [Esc] - Block. Function keys - zoom (F1-F10). Tools are divided up into a hugh grid (very graphical)... Loading other files are converted to 16 colors (ST, TT(??))... .SPC are great! TONS of stuff... Try it! Please... if someone wants to let me know of an English version, let me know... (Or if someone would like to translate the 118k document file...) Later................... __________ _______ / ________() Kaho Chan(man) / / / / L_____ University of /* / / /_/_____() Nevada, Reno \ / /_________ Internet: \ / L________() chan@cs.unr.edu \/~ ------------------------------ Date: 30 Jan 92 19:02:11 GMT From: noao!asuvax!cs.utexas.edu!sdd.hp.com!samsung!transfer!bu2.bu.edu!bu.edu!bucsf.b u.edu!harryk@arizona.edu (Harry Karayiannis) Subject: current TOS-version To: Info-Atari16@naucse.cse.nau.edu In article <1992Jan16.085038.19121@unibi.uni-bielefeld.de> itschere@techfak.uni-bielefeld.de (Torsten Scherer) writes: > > Hi there outside! > > Can anybody tell me the difference between TOS 2.05 and 2.06 ? > Even better, could someone post the difference between TOS 2.06 & TOS 2.07? I'm thiniking of buying Fastech's switchable 25/8 MHz accelerator which also has an option for TOS 2.06 (switchable to your ST's older TOS)... However, their representative told me that Atari will send them TOS 2.07 in a couple of weeks. >TeSche ============================================================================= Author of ATZENTA2 Harry Karayiannis ________E-Mail________ 15 N.Beacon, #316 Boston Univ. |INTERnet: ** || ATARI ** Allston, MA 02134 Computer Sc. | harryk@bucsf.bu.edu ** /||\ MegaST ** U.S.A. |BITnet: ======================================================| cscrzcc@buacca.bu.edu ---------------------- ------------------------------ Date: 30 Jan 92 19:45:04 GMT From: fs7.ece.cmu.edu!crabapple.srv.cs.cmu.edu!andrew.cmu.edu!mc4c+@sei.cmu.edu (Mark Choi) Subject: Darn brevity To: Info-Atari16@naucse.cse.nau.edu On 28-Jan-92 in Re: Darn brevity user Carter Gregory@cae.wisc. writes: >I don't know the exact specs for the NeXT backplane, but I bet they are >truly awesome indeed. > >>I have an AMI 486/33, Tseng ET4000, running ESIX SVr4 with >>Motif, OpenLook, OpenWindows, and NeWS (Display Postscript). When I run >>NeWS it takes about 5 seconds to move a window, about 8 to resize it, >>and the whole time the mouse pointer jumps around the screen because >>the server is running in 100% interpreted postscript. If it's slow on >>a 486/33 w/16mb memory, 256k cache, imagine how slow it is on a 256 byte >>cache, 68030/25 with 8mb of memory. >> >> What this has to do with the pathetic ST I don't know. > >I didn't post it as a ST rebuke, you simply made points that I feel were >very misleading about AMIGA DOS and the NeXT system capabilities. This is not to gregg but to the fool who was responding to him. Even the original NeXT cube (Which they don't even make anymore) with *only* a 68030 and 8 megs, did not have any gui problems. Don't compare intel architectures to Motorola. The NeXT with display PS has no lagging problems in the GUI. If you don't know what you are talking about. Be quite. Or do you just like the sound of your voice. Besides all the NeXTs now use 68040's, and they will blow away anything that commodore will put out for the next several years. mark ------------------------------ Date: 29 Jan 92 17:25:02 GMT From: noao!ncar!elroy.jpl.nasa.gov!swrinde!cs.utexas.edu!qt.cs.utexas.edu!yale.edu!ir a.uka.de!news.belwue.de!rusmv1!delos!tyrell.tynet.sub.org!marsu.tynet.sub.org!w enzel@arizona.edu (Markus Wenzel) Subject: FTP for PD software To: Info-Atari16@naucse.cse.nau.edu In <1992Jan27.091422.533@email.tuwien.ac.at>, kdv_521@eimoni.tuwien.ac.at writes: > In article <1992Jan20.120342.5586@newcastle.ac.uk>, J.S.Fothergill@newcastle.ac.uk (Jane Fothergill) writes: > >Which FTP sites have PD available for the Atari ST???? > > > >Jane > > The best ftp sites for the atari st are (in my opinion): > sol.cs.ruu.nl > atari.archive.umich.edu > nic.funet.fi > wuarchive.wustl.edu > Of course, I hope those site names are correct, I typed them from memory... > > Happy ftp'ing! > Marinos Yannikos > TU Wien I'd like to add rusmv1.rus.uni-stuttgart.de (129.69.1.12) - just advertising :-) -- * /dev/ Markus Wenzel, University of Stuttgart * * /usr/spool/mail/ wenzel@marsu.tynet.sub.org / @rus.uni-stuttgart.de * * /bin/ps -l TT admin on rusmv1.rus.uni-stuttgart.de * * /irc/nick Marsu * * /etc/motd >> Luck is believing you're lucky. << * ------------------------------ Date: 30 Jan 92 09:34:57 GMT From: mcsun!uknet!edcastle!hwcs!neil@uunet.uu.net (Neil Forsyth) Subject: How to hook a Microsoft bus mouse to the ST To: Info-Atari16@naucse.cse.nau.edu In article <1992Jan27.123618.17885@mailer.cc.fsu.edu> boyd@nu.cs.fsu.edu writes about Microsoft Mice: > Anyone have any idea on how to connect an IBM PS/2 style muse to the ST in a similar way. This is what the connector looks like:- Key / O # O # O O O O Looks very similar to a Macintosh Lan connector but with 6 instead of 3 pins. The mouse in question is a three button one made by Logitech and has a 28pin(?) custom chip inside. 2 of the pins must be power and ground and a third is shield. Any ideas? +----------------------------------------------------------------------------+ ! DISCLAIMER:Unless otherwise stated, the above comments are entirely my own ! ! ! ! Neil Forsyth JANET: neil@uk.ac.hw.cs ! ! Dept. of Computer Science ARPA: neil@cs.hw.ac.uk ! ! Heriot-Watt University UUCP: ..!ukc!cs.hw.ac.uk!neil ! ! Edinburgh, Scotland, UK "That was never 5 minutes!" ! +----------------------------------------------------------------------------+ ------------------------------ Date: 30 Jan 92 21:42:28 GMT From: mcsun!news.funet.fi!sunic!chalmers.se!dtek.chalmers.se!dxper@uunet.uu.net (Per Anders Olausson) Subject: How to hook a Microsoft bus mouse to the ST To: Info-Atari16@naucse.cse.nau.edu neil@cs.hw.ac.uk (Neil Forsyth) writes: >In article <1992Jan27.123618.17885@mailer.cc.fsu.edu> boyd@nu.cs.fsu.edu >writes about Microsoft Mice: >> >Anyone have any idea on how to connect an IBM PS/2 style muse to the ST in a >similar way. While were at it, what about connecting a ST mouse to a PC?! I presume one needs an ISA adapter card for it to work or ...? pao -- -------------------------------Andrew Olausson-------------------------------- ------------------------------Systems Architect------------------------------- ----------------------------dxper@dtek.chalmers.se---------------------------- --------------------------------pao@proxxi.se--------------------------------- ------------------------------ Date: 30 Jan 92 20:23:09 GMT From: cantaloupe.srv.cs.cmu.edu!crabapple.srv.cs.cmu.edu!andrew.cmu.edu!mc4c+@cs.roch ester.edu (Mark Choi) Subject: MEGA 4 and software To: Info-Atari16@naucse.cse.nau.edu I have the folowing for sale (stuff without a price make an offer): Hardware Atari Mega 4 ST $750 SLM804 Laser Printer $650 VIDI-ST video fram grabber Spectre 128 with ROMs $225 Software Pagestream 1.8 $ 50 DEGAS paint program $10 Cybersculpt CyberStudio 2.0 Cyber Studio design disks microbots architecture future human plus others CyberSculpt 1.0 Cyber VCR plus VcR control cable Cyber Texture Cyber Paint Cyber Print WordUp Nueral Network Construction Set Plus other stuff I can't remember right now. ------------------------------ Date: 30 Jan 92 21:48:31 GMT From: noao!ncar!elroy.jpl.nasa.gov!usc!cs.utexas.edu!utgpu!watserv1!watmath!ljdickey@ arizona.edu (L. J. Dickey) Subject: MEGAFILE noise To: Info-Atari16@naucse.cse.nau.edu In article <1992Jan21.143117.20861@cs.mcgill.ca> bpat@cs.mcgill.ca (Patrick BETREMIEUX) writes: > [...] hard drives are quite silent at first, but quickly get noisy. > [...] >(Maybe you should really consider the muffling it with a pillow :-) Just in case someone takes this seriously, be sure to allow for ventilation! -- Leroy J. (Lee) Dickey, Faculty of Mathematics, U of Waterloo, Canada N2L 3G1 Internet: ljdickey@watmath.UWaterloo.ca UUCP: ljdickey@watmath.UUCP ...!uunet!watmath!ljdickey Obsolescent?: ljdickey@watmath.waterloo.edu BITNET/EARN: ljdickey@watdcs ------------------------------ Date: 30 Jan 92 22:27:22 GMT From: noao!ncar!elroy.jpl.nasa.gov!swrinde!cs.utexas.edu!utgpu!watserv1!watmath!ljdic key@arizona.edu (L. J. Dickey) Subject: New Supra Modem... To: Info-Atari16@naucse.cse.nau.edu In article <27822@sdcc12.ucsd.edu> atilghma@sdcc13.ucsd.edu (Adam Tilghman) writes: > > Aha! I sense an opportunity for a smart shareware author to >make some money! (heh! - evil grin!) If/when I receive my Supra >modem, I might try to whip up something - but you might also try >talking to the CodeHeads, who were considering importing a French >send/receive fax software package - with the plethora of v.32/fax >modems (thanks to the new Rockwell chipset), maybe there will be a >market for such software for the ST! I think that might be just the thing I would like to have, to be able use my ST as a FAX machine. I sure would like to be able to fax monochrome sketches and text. -- Leroy J. (Lee) Dickey, Faculty of Mathematics, U of Waterloo, Canada N2L 3G1 Internet: ljdickey@watmath.UWaterloo.ca UUCP: ljdickey@watmath.UUCP ...!uunet!watmath!ljdickey Obsolescent?: ljdickey@watmath.waterloo.edu BITNET/EARN: ljdickey@watdcs ------------------------------ Date: 30 Jan 92 21:25:31 GMT From: boulder!ucsu!spot.Colorado.EDU!rob@uunet.uu.net (Rob Cuthbertson) Subject: Selling (older) Atari's To: Info-Atari16@naucse.cse.nau.edu Tip for the day. The net is a LOW market. Readers on the net are educated about the product, and about the true value of the product. When I bought my Atari, it was from an ad on netnews, and I paid $350 for the system. 1040STf, 1Meg, mouse, Atari SC1224 color monitor, Citizen 120D printer, 1200b modem, lots of sw. When I sold my system, I wrote down this description, paid $19.50 to run an ad in a local newspaper (Rocky Mtn News, Denver) and sold it for $560 in two days. Moral: Stop wasting the bandwidth. I know it seems that the free advertising space is a bargain, but I paid $19.50 and gained over $200. If I advertised this system for "$575/obo" on the net, I would get no response. In the paper, I got three calls the first day, and the buyer picked it up on the third. --Rob Cuthbertson, rob@spot.Colorado.EDU Project: To determine what makes things tick. Plan: To stop the ticking. ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 30 Jan 92 20:54 EDT From: I don't patronize bunny rabbits! Subject: Spectre GCR and Beaker To: info-Atari16@naucse.cse.nau.edu This is a question for all the chemists who own an ST and use GCR: Does the program "Beaker" run under it? Beaker is a neat little program for those of us who think chemistry is neat. It does organic structures and reactions and resonance and all of those wonderful things. Just looking for someone who has experience with this. STeve. SYUROFF@Albion Chemistry: Where we get to blow things up and call it educational. ------------------------------ Date: 30 Jan 92 19:57:22 GMT From: uvm-gen!griffin!pegram@uunet.uu.net (Robert B. Pegram) Subject: ST msyncs: Sony 1302, Princeton Ultra 14 Querys To: Info-Atari16@naucse.cse.nau.edu Anybody using a Sony 1302 with an ST, how about a Princeton Ultra 14? I am especially interested in difficulties, quality of display but most of all, I want to know: Do either or both of these monitors correctly size and center all ST screens automatically? That is, do Mono *and* color modes switch easily without lots of fiddling? I know that Nec 3Ds save settings in Nvram, what about these two machines? I'd prefer email responses, because I'm behind on my c.s.a.st news 8-). I'll post a summary if anybody is interested. bye, Bob Pegram pegram@uvm.edu or ..!uvm-gen!pegram -- pegram@uvm.edu or .!uvm-gen!pegram ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 30 Jan 1992 16:09 EST From: CSULLOGG@crl.aecl.ca Subject: why not TOS in ROM To: Info-Atari16@naucse.cse.nau.edu I used to use HP computers (9845 and 85). These had ROM drawers; if you wanted enhanced IO or some other type of system enhancement, you just bought the ROMS, opened the drawer and slipped them in. It was great! He, if Atari had a memory card for the ST/TT, like it does for the Portfolio, you couldl just have your memory card rewritten for an upgrade and put it back into a slot for booting the opsys. ROM cards, with multiple MEGS of code could be used for programs like Calamus, DYNACADD, etc. Upgrades would be neat and clean, copy protection could be improved and loading the applications would be fast. Why not make a card reader adaptor for the cartridge port with a pass through for std cartridges? ------------------------------ Date: 30 Jan 92 21:39:06 GMT From: mcsun!news.funet.fi!sunic!chalmers.se!dtek.chalmers.se!dxper@uunet.uu.net (Per Anders Olausson) Subject: ZOO V2.1 is bugfree, GCC library isn't! To: Info-Atari16@naucse.cse.nau.edu Someone here in the group might remember that I claimed that zoo v2.1 wasn't entirely bug-free but it seems now that the problem wasn't a bad port but had to do with a bug in the GCC library, where localtime() could make programs bomb if it was fed with bad time. So hopefully when JRB releases a new GCC update and Zoo gets recompiled with it we can start use Zoo without the "bomb paranoia". Credits go to JRB who found the cause of the bug. ...yet another step closer to bugfree utopia... pao -- -------------------------------Andrew Olausson-------------------------------- ------------------------------Systems Architect------------------------------- ----------------------------dxper@dtek.chalmers.se---------------------------- --------------------------------pao@proxxi.se--------------------------------- ------------------------------ End of Info-Atari16 Digest ******************************